Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase Set for April 20 at Florida Tech

MELBOURNE, FLA.—In an annual extravaganza of achievement, Florida Institute of Technology College of Engineering and College of Science students will display their design and research projects on Friday, April 20, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. More than 100 projects will make up the 2012 Northrop Grumman Engineering & Science Student Design Showcase at the Charles and Ruth Clemente Center. The community is invited to browse the student work.

For more than four decades, Florida Tech engineering students have been required to complete hands-on, detailed senior projects before graduation; science students begin working as early as their freshman year on independent, cutting-edge research projects, or engage in group research as part of Florida Tech’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) program.

In 2009, a generous $1 million endowment gift from Northrop Grumman Corporation provided continuing support for the students’ work. Northrop Grumman officials will present two special “Best in Show” prizes; one for the College of Engineering and one for the College of Science.

This year’s engineering projects include a hurricane home monitoring system, low-cost hearing aid, liquid rocket engines, Formula SAE car, rescue robot, SAE Baja car, sea crawler, ethanol and liquid hydrogen production, synthesized biodiesel, concrete canoe, a robot to mine lunar regolith (loose rock or dust) and Hang Up ‘n Drive, an educational project to combat cell phone-related vehicle accidents. Students from the Department of Marine and Environmental Systems will exhibit posters on their research in such areas as oceanography, environmental science and meteorology.

Science research projects will be on such topics as coral reef biology, the physics of lightning, biological mathematics, education theory, Alzheimer’s disease, green chemistry and chemical counter measures to bioterrorism.

Engineering senior design projects are the capstone to the students’ engineering education, while science students conduct novel, hands-on scientific research. All students apply theory, think creatively and develop practical skills, such as teamwork, professionalism and leadership.

The Clemente Center is located on University Boulevard near the corner of Babcock Street. For more information, call (321) 674-8020.